Choose Topic Rare Stanley Tools - John G. Wells (1997) Leonard Bailey and the Stanley Rule and Level Co - Philip Whitby (1996) Rare Stanley Tools more frequently found in the U K than the USA
It is fun to speculate on how differences in tool designs evolved in different countries and at different times. The design of tools, like other products, reflects the cultural background of the people that produced them as well as the functional requirements of the user. French and Italian tools have unique design characteristics as do English, and to a lesser extent, American tools. It is not surprising that cultural differences create differing functional and aesthetic preferences among people of different countries.
The reason several rare and decidedly American tools turn up more often in the UK than in the USA is probably due to differing customer preferences. These differences are a result of the cultural background of the people of a country as well as their economic condition, vocational needs and avocation interests.
There was a strong woodworker hobbyist movement among the upper middle class in the UK in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as one can see by the number of publications and tools offered specifically for the amateur woodworker. During this time period the hobbyist movements was stronger in the mature economy of the UK than in the emerging economy of the USA. Small attractive tools suitable for model making or small woodworking projects were attractive to the amateur woodworker and therefore sold well in an environment where woodworking as a hobby flourished.
The Stanley 4 1/2 H and 5 1/2 H Heavy Series are the same as the standard Stanley counterparts except they have an extra thick sole which gives them the heft and feel of the much loved Spiers and Norris planes. Of course the Stanley planes do not have the visual and tactile appeal of the beautiful dovetailed and rosewood stuffed Spiers and Norris planes but they were a good deal less expensive.
The H Series Stanley planes were not offered in any Stanley Catalogues and to my knowledge never offered for sale by a US retailer. They turn up most often in England and Australia where their weight appeals to craftsmen who appreciate the ease with which a heavy plane will slide smoothly through curly grained wood without chattering or stalling. The difference in working characteristics between the H series and standard Stanley planes shows up most when planing the surface of wide boards by hand. The dedicated woodworking purists appreciated the subtle superiority of hand surfaced wood long after the production woodworker abandoned hand surfacing to the thickness planer.
Tool dealers in the UK undoubtedly told Stanley that they needed a heavier plane to satisfy customers accustomed to the feel of the Norris and Spiers planes. Stanley, eager to expand sales in the overseas market, produced the H series of planes to satisfy customer demand.
No.11 Bull Nose Rabbet Plane
The Stanley No. 11 Bullnose Rabbet Plane has a curious adjustment mechanism. There are two methods of adjusting the depth of cut: the projection of the cutter below the bed is adjustable by a lever in the conventional way and the short bed in front of the cutter is adjustable up and down by two screws in the top of the lever cap. The cutter adjustment mechanism used on the Stanley No.11 Rabbet plane is the same as that used on the Stanley Nos. 103 and 120 block planes which was patented on Sept 2, 1879 by J.A. Traut.
The construction of the No.11 is illustrated in my exploded isometric drawing published in Patented Transitional and Metallic Planes in America Vol.11 by Roger K. Smith. The complex adjustment mechanism for the front bed certainly qualified this plane for intriguing gismo status which would be guaranteed its popularity among woodworking hobbyist. The Stanley No.11 Rabbet Plane was not listed in any Stanley Catalogue and to my knowledge never offered by a US retailer. Stanley produced the No.11 Rabbet Plane concurrently with the No.11 Beltmakers Plane which is the only instance that I know of when Stanley used the same number for two different planes produced at the same time.
The No.11 Rabbet plane was illustrated and recommended to the amateur woodworker in 'Everyman His Own Mechanic' published by Ward and Lock. It was offered in England by Churchill and Co. in the 1880s and was probably made for that firm on special order for sale to the amateur woodworker who preferred a small adjustable rabbet plane to the non adjustable No.75 Bullnose Rabbet plane offered under the Stanley name. The Stanley No.90 Bull Nose rabbet plane, introduced in 1898, was a superior tool and soon became the tool of choice for both the professional and hobbyist woodworker
No.98 and No.99 Side Rabbet Planes
These charming little planes introduced by Stanley in 1896 combine functionality with outstanding form and a happy marriage of nickel plated metal and rosewood. It is not surprising that they were popular in the UK where there were a number of beautiful examples of small wood side rabbets with steel soles. The No.98 & 99 Side Rabbets turn up in both the USA and the UK but they are far more often found in the UK supporting the theory that woodworkers in the UK have excellent taste in tools.
No.101 1/2 Bull Nose Block Plane
The Stanley No.101 1/2 is the bull nose version of the series of toy size block planes made by Stanley. Two planes in the series the 101 1/2 and the 201 were never offered in any Stanley Catalogue. The 101 1/2 was offered in the USA by Hammacher Schlemmer & Co. from 1907 until 1930 or later. It was recommended in 'Everyman His Own Mechanic' on the same page with the elusive No.11 Rabbet plane and was offered in the UK by Church and Co., Buck and Hickman and possibly others.
Conclusions
There was a more lively interest in woodworking in the early 20th century amongst the upper middle class in England than in the USA. The hobbyist woodworker movement did not become popular in the USA until the mid 1930's. Small inexpensive tools that have an interesting mechanism appealed to the amateur woodworker. From the number of American tools in outstanding condition that turn up in England it appears the English amateur woodworkers took excellent care of their tools and therefore more of them survived.
Leonard Bailey and the Stanley Rule and Level Co 1869-1884
The relationship between one of America's foremost inventors of carpenters' hand planes and the manufacturing giant Stanley Tools, has a great history of both great productivity and of ambitions and dreams shattered beneath the wheels of the Industrial Revolution. Before speculating on the relationship between the Stanley Co. and Leonard Bailey, let's first review the known chronology of events as it applied to both.
May 1869 -S. R. & L purchases BAILEY, CHANEYAND CO. of Boston Mass. (this is Bailey's factory where he has been producing planes of various designs) and acquires the right to manufacture tools under Bailey's several patents. Stanley also contracts to produce planes at its New Britain Conn. factory (about 100 miles west of Boston), to which it removes machinery and stock from the Boston plant. Production of the first Stanley/Bailey planes commences. CHARLES MILLER is also a contractor at Stanley (starting approx. 1871) and produces his patented metallic plow plane.
Early 1875 - JUSTUS TRAUT patents the No.110 block plane Stanley has had in production for several months. Bailey claims sales of the plane cut into his royalties and the contract between Bailey and Stanley is terminated.
Summer 1875 - Leonard Bailey begins development of the 'Victor' plane line to compete with the Stanley/Bailey planes still in production by Stanley. Fighting between Bailey and the Stanley Co. over patent infringement is bitter, Stanley makes every attempt to stop Bailey from producing the VICTOR line of tools.
Summer 1878 - Stanley wins a court decision against Bailey and the Victor line of planes, the result of which is for Bailey to sell the Victor business to the BAILEY WRINGING MACHINE CO. of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, to move there and produce both VICTOR and DEFIANCE planes and tools.
January 1880 - Stanley Rule and Level Co. purchases the Defiance plane business of the Bailey Wringing Machine Co. and offers remaining stock for sale in its catalogue that year.
July 1884 - Stanley purchases the remains of the struggling Victor Plane Co. from Leonard Bailey along with manufacturing machinery and remaining inventory which they offer in their catalogue of that year. LEONARD BAILEY ends more than 30 years as a carpenter tool inventor and manufacturer and spends the rest of his long productive life in the manufacture of copy presses.
Stanley Rule and Level Co. continues to produce tools many of which are invented and developed by the brilliant plant superintendent Justus Traut. Stanley eventually sells the remaining stock of Victor and Defiance tools and in 1906 after Bailey's death, commemorates Bailey by casting his name in their standard line of bench planes.
Was Leonard Bailey mad as hell at the Stanley Rule and Level Co.? Probably, at sometime, why else would he name his planes 'Victor' and 'Defiance'. How did Bailey get along with other great tool inventors of the day? Some well, others not so well - surely he didn't have much use for Justus Traut who litigated against him and his Victor planes. On the other hand he and Charles Miller were jointly granted a patent for the Victor #14 combination plane.
At any rate there is plenty for tool collectors to speculate about concerning Leonard Bailey, Victor and Defiance tools, and their relationship to the giant tool maker Stanley Rule and Level Co. For a more comprehensive look at this page of tool making history see Patented Transitional and Metallic Planes in America 1827-1927 by Roger Smith.
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